Cutoff control apparatus having a first cutoff unit and a second cutoff unit

Abstract

A cutoff control apparatus controls a cutoff unit in a vehicle-mounted system which includes: a power storage unit; a power line between the power storage unit and a load; and the cutoff unit that switches between a cutoff state that cuts off supplying of power on the power line from the power storage unit side to the load side and a canceled state where the cutoff state is canceled. In the vehicle-mounted system, the cutoff unit includes a first cutoff unit and a second cutoff unit, and the second cutoff unit enters the cutoff state when a first overcurrent state has occurred on the power line with the first cutoff unit in the canceled state. The cutoff control apparatus includes a control apparatus that instructs the first cutoff unit to switch to the cutoff state when the power line is in a second overcurrent state.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cutoff control apparatus configured to control a cutoff unit in a vehicle-mounted system, the vehicle-mounted system including: a power storage unit; a power line, which is a line through which power is transferred between the power storage unit and a load; and the cutoff unit that switches between a cutoff state that cuts off supplying of power from the power storage unit side to the load side on the power line and a canceled state where the cutoff state is canceled,
 wherein in the vehicle-mounted system, the cutoff unit includes a first cutoff unit and a second cutoff unit, and the second cutoff unit enters the cutoff state when a first overcurrent state has occurred on the power line when the first cutoff unit is in the canceled state, and   the cutoff control apparatus comprises a control apparatus for instructing the first cutoff unit to switch to the cutoff state when the power line is in a second overcurrent state; and   wherein the vehicle-mounted system includes a first detector unit that detects a state of a current flowing through the power line and a second detector unit that detects a state of a current flowing through the power line, and
 the control apparatus instructs the first cutoff unit to switch to the cutoff state when a detection result of either the first detector unit or the second detector unit indicates the second overcurrent state. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cutoff control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control apparatus instructs the first cutoff unit to switch to the cutoff state when a collision detection sensor has detected a collision of a vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The cutoff control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when the second detector unit has malfunctioned, the control apparatus notifies a periphery that the second detector unit has malfunctioned. 
     
     
         4 . The cutoff control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when the first detector unit has malfunctioned, the control apparatus instructs the first cutoff unit to switch to the cutoff state based on the detection result of the second detector unit. 
     
     
         5 . The cutoff control apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a magnitude of a current flowing through the power line in the first overcurrent state is equal to or greater than a first threshold,   a magnitude of a current flowing through the power line in the second overcurrent state is equal to or greater than a second threshold, and   the first threshold is smaller than the second threshold.   
     
     
         6 . The cutoff control apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control apparatus includes a first apparatus and a second apparatus,   the first apparatus switches the first cutoff unit to the cutoff state when a collision detection sensor has given notification of a collision of a vehicle or when the second overcurrent state has occurred, and   the second apparatus switches the second cutoff unit to the cutoff state when the first overcurrent state has occurred.   
     
     
         7 . The cutoff control apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein when the first apparatus has malfunctioned, the second apparatus switches the second cutoff unit to the cutoff state. 
     
     
         8 . The cutoff control apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein when the first apparatus has malfunctioned, the second apparatus notifies a periphery that the first apparatus has malfunctioned. 
     
     
         9 . The cutoff control apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the vehicle-mounted system includes a detector unit configured to detect a state of a current flowing through a current path,   the control apparatus controls cutting off by the first cutoff unit based on a detection result of the detector unit and a first cutoff characteristic that sets a time until cutoff, the time until cutoff being a period of time when a current of each current value flows through the first cutoff unit and controls cutting off by the second cutoff unit based on a detection result of the detector unit and a second cutoff characteristic that sets a time until cutoff when a current of each current value flows through the second cutoff unit,   the first overcurrent state is a state where a cutoff condition based on the second cutoff characteristic is satisfied by the current flowing through the power line and a time for which the current flows through the power line,   the second overcurrent state is a state where a cutoff condition based on the first cutoff characteristic is satisfied by the current flowing through the power line and a time for which the current flows through the power line, and   the time until cutoff when a current of each current value flows is shorter for the second cutoff characteristic than for the first cutoff characteristic.   
     
     
         10 . The cutoff control apparatus according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the vehicle-mounted system includes a relay that switches between the cutoff state and the canceled state,   the control apparatus controls cutting off by the relay based on a detection result of the detector unit and a third cutoff characteristic that sets a time until cutoff when a current of each current value flows through the relay, and   the time until cutoff when a current of each current value flows is shorter for the first cutoff characteristic and the second cutoff characteristic than for the third cutoff characteristic.   
     
     
         11 . A cutoff control apparatus configured to control a cutoff unit in a vehicle-mounted system, the vehicle-mounted system including: a power storage unit; a power line, which is a line through which power is transferred between the power storage unit and a load; and the cutoff unit that switches between a cutoff state that cuts off supplying of power from the power storage unit side to the load side on the power line and a canceled state where the cutoff state is canceled,
 wherein in the vehicle-mounted system, the cutoff unit includes a first cutoff unit and a second cutoff unit, and the second cutoff unit enters the cutoff state when a first overcurrent state has occurred on the power line when the first cutoff unit is in the canceled state, and   the cutoff control apparatus comprises a control apparatus for instructing the first cutoff unit to switch to the cutoff state when the power line is in a second overcurrent state, and   wherein a magnitude of a current flowing through the power line in the first overcurrent state is equal to or greater than a first threshold,   a magnitude of a current flowing through the power line in the second overcurrent state is equal to or greater than a second threshold, and   the first threshold is smaller than the second threshold.   
     
     
         12 . A cutoff control apparatus configured to control a cutoff unit in a vehicle-mounted system, the vehicle-mounted system including: a power storage unit; a power line, which is a line through which power is transferred between the power storage unit and a load; and the cutoff unit that switches between a cutoff state that cuts off supplying of power from the power storage unit side to the load side on the power line and a canceled state where the cutoff state is canceled,
 wherein in the vehicle-mounted system, the cutoff unit includes a first cutoff unit and a second cutoff unit, and the second cutoff unit enters the cutoff state when a first overcurrent state has occurred on the power line when the first cutoff unit is in the canceled state, and   the cutoff control apparatus comprises a control apparatus for instructing the first cutoff unit to switch to the cutoff state when the power line is in a second overcurrent state, and   wherein the control apparatus includes a first apparatus and a second apparatus,   the first apparatus switches the first cutoff unit to the cutoff state when a collision detection sensor has given notification of a collision of a vehicle or when the second overcurrent state has occurred, and   the second apparatus switches the second cutoff unit to the cutoff state when the first overcurrent state has occurred.